New Delhi, May 17 In a major step towards strengthening the country’s judicial system, President Draupadi Murmu has approved an increase in the number of judges in the Supreme Court. The President issued the “Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026,” which now increases the approved number of judges in the Supreme Court from 33 to 37. The Chief Justice of India will not be included in this ordinance.
The primary objective of this decision is to reduce the growing backlog of cases in the Supreme Court and ensure speedy justice for the people. It is believed that the increased number of judges will expedite the hearing of cases and facilitate the early disposal of long-pending cases.
Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal shared this information on the social media platform ‘X’. He stated that the President has approved an ordinance amending the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the number of judges.
This ordinance comes just days after the Central Government’s decision, in which the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court by four new judges. Previously, on May 5, at a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was decided to introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament.
The government states that this step was necessary due to the ever-increasing workload and pending cases in the Supreme Court. The appointment of new judges will enhance the court’s efficiency and help reduce delays in hearings.
The first law to increase the number of Supreme Court judges in India was enacted in 1956. Subsequently, the number of judges has been revised from time to time to meet the evolving needs of the judiciary.
Earlier in 2019, the number of Supreme Court judges was increased from 30 to 33. Now, with the new ordinance, the total number of judges in the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice of India, will be 38. This is being considered an important step towards further strengthening the country’s judicial system and providing timely justice to the people.
